Pages

7/24/07

E-mailing Queries

I got an e-mail this morning with nothing in the subject line, nothing in the body of the e-mail, and with an attached file. This happens occasionally. I always wonder if it's an author sending a query who doesn't know any better...but I am not curious enough to actually open that attachment. This is a common way to pass viruses and I am not going to take that chance. Last time I got a virus, my computer was in the shop for a week and they had to completely wipe and reformat the hard drive. I cannot tell you the problems that caused.

When you submit a query via e-mail, write it in your word processor. Double check for spelling and grammar, etc. Then when it's polished and ready, COPY and PASTE it into the body of your e-mail. Do not attach it. And always put "Query" somewhere in the subject line.

Now, I am aware that some publishers have a downloadable form on their website for you to fill out and return as an attachment, or they say to go ahead and send your query/submission as an attachment. If they say that, then fine. Go ahead and do it. But there are also those that say to query within the body of the e-mail, no attachments. When in doubt, take this safer route.

Nora Roberts writes potboiler romances. She's published SIXTY EIGHT of them in the last five years, so you can be certain that each one is well though out and unique. I've read a few and they certainly don't seem to be anything to aspire to, unless you're just interested in sales.

As to Nora Roberts' books being potboiler romances and nothing to aspire to...regardless of what any individual's preference may be (and I'm not a huge fan), Nora Roberts fills a need for some readers. If she didn't, her books wouldn't sell at all. It is perfectly fine for an author to be aware of and set goals to write to those needs. Not all readers read for the same reasons, and we need books for all of them.